Creativity > Features

Adobe's landmark pen tool defined an industry. But to the uninitiated, its reliance on anchor points and control handles makes it as approachable as first-year algebra. Until you see it's nothing more than a mating ritual: The points are boys and the handles are girls. Once you get that, it all falls into place.

tags: illustrator, image editing, photoshop, podcast

Creativity > Features

How best to encourage people to use an obscure but super-useful Photoshop feature? Rhyme, rhythm, and romance. Hence a music video that will make all your automation dreams come true. Give Deke five minutes of your time and he’ll set your world on fire.

tags: image editing, photo editing, photoshop, podcast

Photography > Features

Photoshop masking isn't easy, in fact, the elusive alpha channel has been described as the least understood feature in Photoshop's enormous arsenal. In this video from Lesson 1 of Photoshop CS4 Channels & Mask One-on-One, Photoshop Guru Deke McClelland gives you a tour of the Channels palette in Photoshop. This handy palette is truly Command Central for your Photoshop masking operations.

tags: photo editing, photoshop, how-to

Creativity > Features

It’s the best of times and the worst of times for fans of Battlestar Galactica. The second half of the season premieres on Friday, January 16 on SCI FI Channel (yay!), but it’s the series’ final season (awww). VFX Supervisor Gary Hutzel hints at what’s in store for the explosive finale, plus takes us behind the scenes of the stunning Cylon versus Pegasus sequence from Battle Galactica: Razor and the spectacular “continuous shot” introducing Cylon U-87 from the upcoming Caprica—as well as reveals a few juicy details about what may be Ron D. Moore’s "lost" series, Virtuality.

tags: filmmaking, special effects, tv, apollo

Audio > Features

Rick "Loop.pooL" Walker's shows veer from hypnotic to energizing to amusing in the space of a single minute. Follow along as he whips DayGlo orange plastic, bar glasses, vibrators, and digital electronics into a swirling cloud of sound. Includes nine MP3s.

tags: creativity, music, music composition, music technology

Photography > Features

There's more to good portrait photography than just clicking the shutter. In this video presentation from Photo Plus Expo, expert travel photographer Rick Sammon demonstrates some of his favorite techniques for capturing the essence of his subjects. Many of these tips can be found in his latest book, Face to Face: Rick Sammon's Complete Guide to Photographing People. Not only will you learn about the physics of photography, but also the human side of making great images.

tags: interview, photographers, photoshoot, travel